The 10 Best Ethernet Cards: The Complete Buyer’s Guide

by John Sanderson

Choosing the best ethernet card can be a daunting task. There are so many options on the market, and they all have their pros and cons. This article will help you make an informed decision about which best ethernet card is best for your needs! We’ll cover what to look for in an ethernet card, how much it should cost, and give you some recommendations of our favorite products on the market today.
Here are the top 3 Ethernet Cards to check at a glance if you are in a hurry:

Product
StarTech.com Multimode (MM) SC Fiber Media Converter for 10/100/1000 Network - 550m Range - Gigabit Ethernet - 850nm - Full Duplex (MCMGBSCMM055)
TP-Link 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card (TG-3468), PCIE Network Adapter, Network Card, Ethernet Card for PC, Win10/11 supported
EDUP Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCI-E Network Card 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 LAN Adapter Converter for Desktop PC
StarTech.com Multimode (MM) SC Fiber Media Converter for 10/100/1000 Network - 550m Range - Gigabit Ethernet - 850nm - Full Duplex (MCMGBSCMM055)
TP-Link 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card (TG-3468), PCIE Network Adapter, Network Card, Ethernet Card for PC, Win10/11 supported
EDUP Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCI-E Network Card 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 LAN Adapter Converter for Desktop PC
Product
StarTech.com Multimode (MM) SC Fiber Media Converter for 10/100/1000 Network - 550m Range - Gigabit Ethernet - 850nm - Full Duplex (MCMGBSCMM055)
StarTech.com Multimode (MM) SC Fiber Media Converter for 10/100/1000 Network - 550m Range - Gigabit Ethernet - 850nm - Full Duplex (MCMGBSCMM055)
Product
TP-Link 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card (TG-3468), PCIE Network Adapter, Network Card, Ethernet Card for PC, Win10/11 supported
TP-Link 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express Network Card (TG-3468), PCIE Network Adapter, Network Card, Ethernet Card for PC, Win10/11 supported
Product
EDUP Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCI-E Network Card 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 LAN Adapter Converter for Desktop PC
EDUP Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCI-E Network Card 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 LAN Adapter Converter for Desktop PC

Top 10 Best Ethernet Cards Reviewed

1

Use this fiber media converter to convert and extend a 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet connection up to 550m / 1804ft over Multimode SC fiber on 1000BASE-SX networks. This SC fiber media converter provides a switch supporting the Link Fault Passthrough (LFP) function, LED indicators for simple monitoring, and supports a full-duplex operation. Designed for ease of use, this copper to fiber media converter provides a quick and easy setup, and it can be used as a standalone device or mounted to a wall.

2

This TP-Link PCIe 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet card is designed to improve your PC’s network speed and performance. With its high-speed transfer capability, it can help relieve the bottleneck of a wired connection and provide you with smooth online gaming or video streaming experience. Plus, this Gigabit adapter comes with a low profile bracket that fits small form factor PCs and an adjustable standard height bracket for easy installation.

3

EDUP USB 3.0 to DVI External Video Card Multi Monitor Adapter
Key benefits/features: The EDUP USB 3. 0 to DVI external video card multi-monitor adapter is a simple solution for adding an extra display or mirroring your primary production, which can be connected with any laptop or desktop computer. It provides you the flexibility and convenience for connecting up to three displays with one computer, saving valuable time and effort in setting up a workstation environment.

4

The Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express PCIe Network Card delivers powerful performance and high-speed connectivity to your desktop computer, making it ideal for use with various applications such as digital video streaming, online gaming, and faster file transfers. This network card’s outstanding capabilities are made possible by its advanced hardware components, which provide you with a stable connection to your home or office network.

5

This StarTech.com Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter Card is a PCI-based 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet network adapter card that provides high-speed wired connectivity for your desktop or server computer. The card supports a full-duplex mode to achieve the highest possible throughput. It features an automatic MDI/MDIX crossover to eliminate the need for crossover cables when connecting to other networking equipment.

6

This 10/100/1000Mbps network adapter is a highly integrated, single-chip solution. The Realtek RTL8125-CG 10/100/1000M/2. 5G Ethernet controller combines a 4-speed IEEE 802 and 3 compatible Media Access Controller (MAC) with a four-speed Ethernet transceiver, PCI Express bus controller, and embedded memory. This product contains both low profile and standard height brackets for installation into small form factor computers.

7

Next-generation, up to 2402Mbps on 5GHz and 574Mbps on 2.4GHz, 802.11ax standard with OFDMA and 1024QAM technology for ultra-fast data transfer speeds that reduce lag time and allows you to enjoy smooth streaming of high-resolution videos, fewer dropped connections, and faster connections farther away from the router in dense environments.

8

This is the Realtek RTL8111DL PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Network Interface Card. This card can be used to connect a desktop computer to a network. It supports 10/100/1000Base-T speed and has one RJ45 connector for an Ethernet cable connection. The card also includes a low profile bracket for mounting small form-factor computers with limited clearance above the PCI Express slot.

9

ASUS PCE-C2500 2.5G Base-T PCIe Network Adapter is a high-performance, highly integrated, and cost-effective 2.5Gbps Ethernet network adapter that delivers next-generation data transfer speeds for bandwidth-demanding applications HD streaming and online gaming. It features the latest Intel® Ethernet Controller I210 chip, which provides 2X higher performance than previous generation products.

10

The X-MEDIA Dual Port PCI-E Card is the perfect solution for your home or office network. This card lets you connect two devices to one computer at speeds up to 1000Mbps (1Gbps) over standard Cat5e/Cat6 cables. Use it to share an Internet connection, transfer files between computers, or stream HD video and audio.

5 Things You Must Know While Choosing The Best Ethernet Cards

1. Is it compatible with your motherboard?

You must find out whether or not your motherboard supports Ethernet cards before you go through all of the time, trouble, and expense of buying an Ethernet card, only to later find out that it does not work with your computer.

To determine whether or not your computer’s motherboard has support for an Ethernet card, look at the back of the tower where all of the hookups are located. This is usually near where any peripherals such as a printer would be hooked up, but this may vary quite slightly depending on what kind of tower you have. Look for something labeled ‘Ethernet’ or ‘Network’ coming into the building and plugging near the hookups for USB ports, sound cards, etc.

2. What speed does it support? Will the speeds be sufficient for what I need?

To get a fully functional Ethernet card that you can use, it must have been designed for whatever your computer’s motherboard supports. It needs matching speeds on both ends of the connection, or else it won’t work.

3. What is the price of the card, and where can I get one from?

After doing some research online, you should find out how much an Ethernet card costs by inputting the product name into a search engine. You should also find out where you can buy it from if you look up some stores near your home that offer this product for sale.

4. Do you already have a wireless internet connection, or will you need to buy a wireless router along with an Ethernet card if you want both wired and wireless connectivity on some devices?

It is best if all of the computers in your household usually connect through either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instead of cables because it makes sharing files, streaming movies/TV shows/music, etc., much easier and faster than when using lines. Suppose everyone in your house is like this, then there’s no reason for you to get an Ethernet card that only some of the computers can use.

Suppose a few people live in your household who need Access to a lot of information quickly through cables. In that case, it is best to invest in a wireless router for those few people instead of getting them their own long-term Ethernet card because it will be much more efficient and save you money. If speed is not the essential thing for one person using this connection, but they still want all of their devices wired with fast speeds at once, make sure they have a computer that has a built-in Ethernet port so that they don’t have to pay extra for an external card or adapter from another source.

5. Does the card come with any warranty, and will the retailer or manufacturer replace and fix it for free if something goes wrong?

A warranty is a perfect thing to have if you’re buying an expensive piece of hardware such as an Ethernet card, and it ensures that you can get your money back or the product fixed for free if anything were to happen to it after purchase. If there isn’t one included when purchasing an Ethernet card, make sure you buy from a reputable online retailer like Amazon. They usually offer some guarantee on their products if the seller fails to live up to their end of the deal.

Why Do You Need Ethernet Cards?

1) Provides Access to the Internet Because computers require internet access just about as much as they need electricity, it makes sense that some sort of internet connection would be necessary. If you are using a desktop computer, there is typically an Ethernet port next to the headphone jack or built into the back case with an antenna wire running out of it. On the other hand, laptops often have a card slot in which an Ethernet card can be plugged for instant internet access. It is also possible to purchase routers that have Ethernet ports from which Wi-Fi signals can be broadcast.

2) Faster Connection Than Wireless Internet The average internet speed achieved by users in America is around 13 megabytes per second (Mbps). This isn’t bad by any means and usually gets the job done; however, if you intend to download or upload huge files, it may take quite some time. An Ethernet connection’s average speed is about 1,000 Mbps (one gigabyte per second), meaning that much more data can be transferred over a much shorter period. Assuming the transfer rate were the same, it would take about an hour and 40 minutes to download a file that is 1.5 gigabytes in size with wireless Internet versus just 18 minutes when using Ethernet.

3) Increased Reliability An Ethernet connection is noticeably more reliable than a wireless one because it uses wires instead of radio waves to connect. Suppose you have ever had problems staying associated with your Wi-Fi network, randomly losing signal strength or speed, or noticed slow speeds in particular areas of the house with your current internet provider but not others. In that case, you are most likely dealing with some interference caused by competing signals. Your typical household is filled with all sorts of radios that operate on the same 2.4 GHz frequency as both Wi-Fi connections and microwave ovens. An Ethernet cable is not susceptible to these sorts of disturbances because it has no radio waves that can be interfered with.

The Last Line

We hope you’ve found this guide helpful and informative. The 10 Best Ethernet Cards are waiting for you to make your purchase (or maybe not). Feel free to share this article with anyone else who might be looking for the best cards on the market today!

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